The Humble Card Scraper
It would be unusual not to find the humble card scraper and burnisher always at hand in most woodworking shops. In mine, a scraper is often to be found in my apron pocket. This simple tool is arguably the most versatile of all, especially when an understanding and skill is developed to make full use of it. However its simplicity belies the complexity and skill required to sharpen and use it properly.
Tool anatomy
Typically, a card scraper measures 150 x 70mm and varies in thickness between 0.4 and 1.0mm. In fig.1 the ‘face corners’ are the four corners you see when the face of the scraper faces you, while the ‘edge corners’ are adjacent to the edge of the tool.
Like any product, some are better than others, so some things should be considered before you buy. The card scraper should be considered a cutting tool, not too dissimilar to a bench chisel or
